2022 is truly a special year for Anya Taylor-Joy fans, as she takes over the lead role alongside Ralph Fiennes in her latest film Amsterdam.
With a versatile career that ranges from superhero movies to elevated horror films, Anya Taylor-Joy has played many exciting characters, some more likable than others.
Lily - Thoroughbreds (2017)
The problem with Lily is that Amanda, her new best friend and the character that co-leads Thoroughbreds, is much more interesting than her. The film follows the unlikely friendship between Amanda, who's unable to feel genuine emotions, and Lily, a run-of-mill teenager with dark intentions.
Although Lily is introduced as a charismatic girl, she wouldn't be all that interesting to follow if it wasn't for her troubled relationship with her stepfather, Mark, and the emotions that Amanda evokes in her, consequently bringing out the ugly in her: she decides to drug Amanda in order to kill Mark and frame her friend. She does back out of the plan, but not before breaking both the viewers' and Amanda's trust.
Gina Gray - Peaky Blinders (2013 - 2022)
Gina Grey is an absolute snake, but one who's truly entertaining to watch. Maintaining a self-composed and superior attitude as she carries out her deceptive plots, it's always a blast to see her mask fall off whenever Tommy or any of the Peaky Blinders lose their patience with her, turning into a small, vulnerable creature that might as well just be part of an act.
Anya Taylor-Joy nails the role as Gina gradually becomes one of the main antagonists of Peaky Blinders, and although it's fun to watch her manipulate the men around her and bend them to her will, she's far from being a likable character.
Thomasin - The Witch (2015)
Raised by a strictly religious family, God represents both a gift and a nightmare in Thomasin's life. She wants to be the perfect daughter and comply with her parents' demands, but as any regular human being, Thomasin has both good and evil in her heart, and she's punished for not hiding that ugly part as well as the others in her family.
Her parents believe their faith will wash their sins and her siblings are still too innocent to contemplate the loss of innocence, a topic that perfect "good for her" movie ending. Some viewers will not like her but they arguably can't judge her.
Sandie - Last Night In Soho (2021)
Sandie isn't the kind of villain that everyone in the audience will root for but her reasonable motivations make many understand why she did what she did. For most of Last Night In Soho, Sandie's true self is locked in her incognito as the audience watches her through the eyes of Eloise, who's able to travel back to the '60s and observe Sandie's rise and fall as a star.
All Sandie wanted was to be famous, and although she accomplishes this, it comes at a horrifying cost after a succession of abuses by men sends the character on a path of revenge. Sandie's vibrant charisma and talent was sadly obfuscated by this but viewers understandably feel confused as it is revealed that Diana Riggs' Ms. Collins is the older Sandie. Ellie empathisizes with Sandie's pain and viewers do too, having seen everything she's been through, which is why Ellie tries to save her from taking her own life, but it's too late. A complex story and a complex character, Sandie's likability is never in question, but not everyone feels able to root for her by the movie's end.
Beth Harmon - The Queen's Gambit (2020)
The Queen's Gambit addresses both the best and the worst moments of Harmon's life. Because of her addiction to prescription pills and her competitive obsession, Harmon almost let fame get over her head, becoming a bitter person that's difficult to deal with, but her struggles mean that she remains an empathetic character.
However, she does manage to bounce back, returning to her roots and finding peace. Because viewers see both sides, they like her as much as they hate her. The audience spends so much time with Beth Harmon that it's almost impossible to hate her after all. Viewers follow her through the ups and downs of her life, from the beginning of her career to her final triumph, and from her charming integrity to the downfall of her personal life.
Illyana Rasputin - The New Mutants (2020)
Illyana Rasputin, or Magik, is an anti-hero difficult to dislike. A bitter and bad-tempered girl on the surface, Illyana is much more sensitive than one assumes, at first, reflecting on the painful past she hides from the people around her and desperately tries to overcome.
Arguably the most unpredictable member of The New Mutants, Illyana's mood shifts, and sudden outbursts of anger often causes disorder among the group and distract them from their main goals. It's difficult to deal with her unreliable attitude, but she remains a powerful and caring hero.
Casey Cooke - Split (2016)
Casey is one of the bravest thriller protagonists of the past years: a young woman with a strong personality and many likable traits in her favor.
She's highly intelligent, a caring friend, and doesn't let despair get into her head after being kidnaped by Kevin, also known as the Horde, having built an emotional wall around her after years of her uncle and legal guardian abusing her. She's the only one among her friends who's able to remain calm in the worst scenarios. In Split, the Horde and Casey share a mutual understanding of the demons that live within them, which leads the film's villain to look at his prey with comion and spare her life, a result of Casey's empathetic behavior.
Margot - The Menu (2022)
Margot stands out in The Menu as an easy character to like because she's pretty much the only one who's got even a slight trace of personality among so many dreary characters. Accompanying a bratty wealthy gentleman to an exclusive restaurant alongside a small group of ostentatious guests, Margot is the first to suspect something is off when the mysterious Chef begins to introduce his new lavish menu.
Margot's interactions with the Chef, brilliantly played by Ralph Fiennes, are easily the best scenes in The Menu. As the superficiality and corruption of the other guests are exposed, Margot is the only one able to shake the Chef's masterplan, and viewers can't help but root for her.
Olga Of The Birch Forest - The Northman (2022)
Olga was more than just Amleth's love affair in The Northman, she was also the voice of reason, and a powerful woman with sharp wit and hidden abilities that were crucial to Amleth's plot of revenge.
From her first appearance, the immediate impression is that Olga is someone worthy of trust. She stands her ground and isn't easily influenced, quickly causing turmoil in her new community and seeing in Amleth exactly what he saw in her: bravery and commitment to turn the lives of those who oppress them upside down, becoming his loyal lover. The movie does a great job of making viewers like Olga in order to deliver the emotional gut-punch in the scene where Amleth lets her go.
Emma Woodhouse - Emma (2020)
One of the most complex Jane Austen characters, Emma Woodhouse is easy to relate to on her journey of self-discovery through the lives of others. Although Emma is a good-hearted young woman who cares about the well-being of her loved ones, she also has many flaws, such as her manipulative and selfish intentions, planning the happiness of others in order to satisfy her own ego.
But her flaws are actually what makes Emma so compelling to follow and easy to like; she doesn't feel like a fictional character who acts in favor of the plot. Throughout the movie, Emma evolves as a person and learns how to adapt her controlling attitude to something that benefits her and her friends as a whole.
